This topic is dedicated for new publications of Sutta translations by Ven. Thanissaro.Use the language selection at the end of each post, to change the wished language.You are welcome to add own translations and also in ather languages. Corrections are welcome.

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Kosambī in Ghosita’s monastery. Then Ven. Ānanda went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, “To what extent, lord, might one, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, live comfortably?”

“Ānanda, when a monk is himself consummate in virtue, but is not one who confronts another with regard to heightened virtue, it’s to this extent that, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, he might live comfortably.”

“Would there be another way, lord, in which, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, one might live comfortably?”

“There would, Ānanda,” the Blessed One said. “When a monk is himself consummate in virtue, but is not one who confronts another with regard to heightened virtue, and when he keeps watch over himself but does not keep watch over others, it’s to this extent that, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, he might live comfortably.”

“Would there be another way, lord, in which, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, one might live comfortably?”

“There would, Ānanda,” the Blessed One said. “When a monk is himself consummate in virtue, but is not one who confronts another with regard to heightened virtue; when he keeps watch over himself but does not keep watch over others; and when he is little-known but is not agitated over his lack of renown, it’s to this extent that, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, he might live comfortably.”

“Would there be another way, lord, in which, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, one might live comfortably?”

“There would, Ānanda,” the Blessed One said. “When a monk is himself consummate in virtue, but is not one who confronts another with regard to heightened virtue; when he keeps watch over himself but does not keep watch over others; when he is little-known but is not agitated over his lack of renown; and when he can attain as he likes, without difficulty, without trouble, the four jhānas that are heightened mind-states and pleasant abidings in the here-&-now, it’s to this extent that, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, he might live comfortably.”

“Would there be another way, lord, in which, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, one might live comfortably?”

“There would, Ānanda,” the Blessed One said. “When a monk is himself consummate in virtue, but is not one who confronts another with regard to heightened virtue; when he keeps watch over himself but does not keep watch over others; when he is little-known but is not agitated over his lack of renown; when he can attain as he likes, without difficulty, without trouble, the four jhānas that are heightened mind-states and pleasant abidings in the here-&-now; and when—with the ending of effluents—he enters & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized it for himself right in the here & now, it’s to this extent that, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, he might live comfortably. And I tell you, Ānanda, as for any other comfortable abiding higher or more sublime than this, there is none.”

Using the simile of the rabbit or cat that thinks it can imitate an elephant, the Buddha discourages Ven. Upāli from living in the forest, and encourages him instead to stay living with the Saṅgha.

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa

To UpāliTo Upāli (AN 10.99)

Then Ven. Upāli[1] went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, “Lord, I want to spend time in isolated wilderness & forest lodgings.”

“Upāli, it’s not easy to endure isolated wilderness & forest lodgings. It’s not easy to maintain seclusion, not easy to enjoy being alone. The forests, as it were, plunder the mind of a monk who has not gained concentration. Whoever would say, ‘I, without having gained concentration, will spend time in isolated wilderness & forest lodgings,’ of him it can be expected that he will sink to the bottom or float away.

“Imagine, Upāli, a great freshwater lake. Then there would come a great bull elephant, seven or seven and a half cubits tall. The thought would occur to him, ‘What if I were to plunge into this freshwater lake, to playfully squirt water into my ears and along my back, and then—having playfully squirted water into my ears and along my back, having bathed & drunk & come back out—to go off as I please?’ So, having plunged into the freshwater lake, he would playfully squirt water into his ears and along his back, and then—having playfully squirted water into his ears and along his back, having bathed & drunk & come back out—he would go off as he pleased. Why is that? Because his large body finds a footing in the depth.

“Then a rabbit or a cat would come along. The thought would occur to it, ‘What’s the difference between me and a bull elephant? What if I were to plunge into this freshwater lake, to playfully squirt water into my ears and along my back, and then—having playfully squirted water into my ears and along my back, having bathed & drunk & come back out—to go off as I please?’ So, without reflecting, he jumps rashly into the freshwater lake, and of him it can be expected that he will either sink to the bottom or float away. Why is that? Because his small body doesn’t find a footing in the depth.

“In the same way, whoever would say, ‘I, without having gained concentration, will spend time in isolated wilderness & forest lodgings,’ of him it can be expected that he will sink to the bottom or float away.

“Imagine, Upāli, a stupid baby boy, lying on his back, playing with his urine & excrement. What do you think? Isn’t that totally & completely a childish form of play?”

“Yes, lord.”

“Then, as the child grows and his faculties mature, he plays at children’s games: toy plows, stick games, somersaults, toy windmills, toy measures, toy carts, and a toy bow & arrow. What do you think? Aren’t these forms of play more excellent than the earlier form of play, and more refined?”

“Yes, lord.”

“At a later time, as the boy grows and his faculties mature (still further), he enjoys himself provided & endowed with the five strings of sensuality: forms cognizable via the eye—agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, enticing, accompanied with sensual desire; sounds cognizable via the ear… aromas cognizable via the nose… flavors cognizable via the tongue… tactile sensations cognizable via the body—agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, enticing, accompanied with sensual desire. What do you think? Aren’t these forms of play more excellent than the earlier forms of play, and more refined?”“Yes, lord.”

“Now, Upāli, there is the case where a Tathāgata appears in the world, worthy & rightly self-awakened. He teaches the Dhamma admirable in its beginning, admirable in its middle, admirable in its end. He proclaims the holy life both in its particulars and in its essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure.

“A householder or householder’s son or one born in one clan or another hears that Dhamma. Having heard the Dhamma, he gains conviction in the Tathāgata. Being endowed with a gain in conviction, he reflects: ‘Household life is confining, a dusty path. Life gone forth is the open air. It isn’t easy, living at home, to practice the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, a polished shell. What if I, having shaved off my hair & beard and putting on the ochre robe, were to go forth from the household life into homelessness?’

“So after some time he abandons his mass of wealth, large or small; leaves his circle of relatives, large or small; shaves off his hair & beard, puts on the ochre robes, and goes forth from the household life into homelessness.

Virtue

“When he has thus gone forth, endowed with the monks’ training & livelihood, then—abandoning the taking of life—he abstains from the taking of life. He dwells with his rod laid down, his knife laid down, scrupulous, merciful, compassionate for the welfare of all living beings.

“Abandoning the taking of what is not given, he abstains from taking what is not given. He takes only what is given, accepts only what is given, lives not by stealth but by means of a self that has become pure. This, too, is part of his virtue.

“Abandoning uncelibacy, he lives a celibate life, aloof, refraining from the sexual act that is the villager’s way.

“Abandoning the telling of lies, he abstains from telling lies. He speaks the truth, holds to the truth, is firm, reliable, no deceiver of the world.

“Abandoning divisive speech, he abstains from divisive speech. What he has heard here he does not tell there to break those people apart from these people here. What he has heard there he does not tell here to break these people apart from those people there. Thus reconciling those who have broken apart or cementing those who are united, he loves concord, delights in concord, enjoys concord, speaks things that create concord.

“Abandoning abusive speech, he abstains from abusive speech. He speaks words that are soothing to the ear, that are affectionate, that go to the heart, that are polite, appealing & pleasing to people at large.

“Abandoning idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter. He speaks in season, speaks what is factual, what is in accordance with the goal, the Dhamma, and the Vinaya. He speaks words worth treasuring, seasonable, reasonable, circumscribed, connected with the goal.

“He abstains from damaging seed & plant life.

“He eats only once a day, refraining from the evening meal and from food at the wrong time of day.

“He is content with a set of robes to provide for his body and alms food to provide for his hunger. Just as a bird, wherever it goes, flies with its wings as its only burden; so too is he content with a set of robes to provide for his body and alms food to provide for his hunger. Wherever he goes, he takes only his barest necessities along.

“Endowed with this noble aggregate of virtue, he is inwardly sensitive to the pleasure of being blameless.

Sense Restraint

“On seeing a form with the eye, he doesn’t grasp at any theme or details by which—if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the eye—evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices for its restraint. He protects the faculty of the eye. On hearing a sound with the ear.… On smelling an aroma with the nose.… On tasting a flavor with the tongue.… On touching a tactile sensation with the body.… On cognizing an idea with the intellect, he doesn’t grasp at any theme or details by which—if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the intellect—evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices for its restraint. He protects the faculty of the intellect. Endowed with this noble restraint over the sense faculties, he is inwardly sensitive to the pleasure of being blameless.

“Endowed with this noble aggregate of virtue, this noble restraint over the sense faculties, this noble mindfulness & alertness, he seeks out a secluded dwelling: a wilderness, the shade of a tree, a mountain, a glen, a hillside cave, a charnel ground, a forest grove, the open air, a heap of straw. After his meal, returning from his alms round, he sits down, crosses his legs, holds his body erect, and brings mindfulness to the fore.

“Abandoning covetousness with regard to the world, he dwells with an awareness devoid of covetousness. He cleanses his mind of covetousness. Abandoning ill will & anger, he dwells with an awareness devoid of ill will, sympathetic with the welfare of all living beings. He cleanses his mind of ill will & anger. Abandoning sloth & drowsiness, he dwells with an awareness devoid of sloth & drowsiness, mindful, alert, percipient of light. He cleanses his mind of sloth & drowsiness. Abandoning restlessness & anxiety, he dwells undisturbed, his mind inwardly stilled. He cleanses his mind of restlessness & anxiety. Abandoning uncertainty, he dwells having crossed over uncertainty, with no perplexity with regard to skillful qualities. He cleanses his mind of uncertainty.

The Nine Attainments

“Having abandoned these five hindrances—imperfections of awareness that weaken discernment—then, quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful qualities, he enters & remains in the first jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation.

“What do you think, Upāḷi? Isn’t this dwelling more excellent than the earlier dwellings, and more refined?”

“Yes, lord.”

“It’s when seeing this quality within themselves that my disciples spend time in isolated wilderness & forest lodgings, but it’s not to this extent that they dwell having attained their true aim.

“And further, with the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, the monk enters & remains in the second jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation—internal assurance.

“What do you think, Upāḷi? Isn’t this dwelling more excellent than the earlier dwellings, and more refined?”

“Yes, lord.”

“It’s when seeing this quality within themselves that my disciples spend time in isolated wilderness & forest lodgings, but it’s not to this extent that they dwell having attained their true aim.

“And further, with the fading of rapture, the monk remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhāna, of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.’

“What do you think, Upāḷi? Isn’t this dwelling more excellent than the earlier dwellings, and more refined?”

“Yes, lord.”

“It’s when seeing this quality within themselves that my disciples spend time in isolated wilderness & forest lodgings, but it’s not to this extent that they dwell having attained their true aim.

“What do you think, Upāḷi? Isn’t this dwelling more excellent than the earlier dwellings, and more refined?”

“Yes, lord.”

“It’s when seeing this quality within themselves that my disciples spend time in isolated wilderness & forest lodgings, but it’s not to this extent that they dwell having attained their true aim.

“And further, with the complete transcending of perceptions of (physical) form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not attending to perceptions of multiplicity, (perceiving,) ‘Infinite space,’ the monk enters & remains in the dimension of the infinitude of space.

“What do you think, Upāḷi? Isn’t this dwelling more excellent than the earlier dwellings, and more refined?”

“Yes, lord.”

“It’s when seeing this quality within themselves that my disciples spend time in isolated wilderness & forest lodgings, but it’s not to this extent that they dwell having attained their true aim.

“And further, with the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of space, (perceiving,) ‘Infinite consciousness,’ the monk enters & remains in the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness.

“What do you think, Upāḷi? Isn’t this dwelling more excellent than the earlier dwellings, and more refined?”

“Yes, lord.”

“It’s when seeing this quality within themselves that my disciples spend time in isolated wilderness & forest lodgings, but it’s not to this extent that they dwell having attained their true aim.

“And further, with the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, (perceiving,) ‘There is nothing,’ the monk enters & remains in the dimension of nothingness.

“What do you think, Upāḷi? Isn’t this dwelling more excellent than the earlier dwellings, and more refined?”

“Yes, lord.”

“It’s when seeing this quality within themselves that my disciples spend time in isolated wilderness & forest lodgings, but it’s not to this extent that they dwell having attained their true aim.

“And further, with the complete transcending of the dimension of nothingness, the monk enters & remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.

“What do you think, Upāḷi? Isn’t this dwelling more excellent than the earlier dwellings, and more refined?”

“Yes, lord.”

“It’s when seeing this quality within themselves that my disciples spend time in isolated wilderness & forest lodgings, but it’s not to this extent that they dwell having attained their true aim.

“And further, with the complete transcending of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, the monk enters & remains in the cessation of perception & feeling. And as he sees (that) with discernment, effluents are completely ended.

“What do you think, Upāḷi? Isn’t this dwelling more excellent than the earlier dwellings, and more refined?”

“Yes, lord.”

“It’s when seeing this quality within themselves that my disciples spend time in isolated wilderness & forest lodgings, and they dwell having attained their true aim.

“Please, Upāḷi, live with the Saṅgha. Living with the Saṅgha, you will have ease.”

Ven. Upāli was the monk the Buddha praised as being foremost in his knowledge of the Vinaya. Perhaps it was because of this discourse that he stayed with the Saṅgha, instead of going into the wilderness, and was in a position to memorize and organize the disciplinary rules the Buddha laid down. See AN 7:80.

The full translation of this sutta, previously just an excerpt, has been added to the collection.

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa

Kakacūpama SuttaThe Simile of the Saw (MN 21)

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now on that occasion Ven. Moliya Phagguna was spending too much time entangled with the nuns. This is how much he was spending time entangled with the nuns: If any monk spoke in dispraise of the nuns in his presence, he would be angered, displeased, and would make an issue of it. And if any monk spoke in dispraise of him in the presence of the nuns, they would be angered, displeased, and would make an issue of it. That’s how much he was spending time entangled with the nuns.Then a certain monk went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “Lord, Ven. Moliya Phagguna is spending too much time entangled with the nuns. This is how much he is spending time entangled with the nuns: If any monk speaks in dispraise of the nuns in his presence, he is angered, displeased, and makes an issue of it. And if any monk speaks in dispraise of him in the presence of the nuns, they are angered, displeased, and make an issue of it. That’s how much he is spending time entangled with the nuns.Then the Blessed One told a certain monk, “Come, monk. In my name, call Moliya Phagguna, saying, ‘The Teacher calls you, friend Moliya Phagguna.’”Responding, “As you say, lord,” to the Blessed One, the monk went to Ven. Moliya Phagguna, and on arrival he said to him, “The Teacher calls you, friend Moliya Phagguna.”

Responding, “As you say, my friend,” to the monk, Ven. Moliya Phagguna went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, “Is it true, Phagguna that you are spending too much time entangled with the nuns? That this is how much you are spending time entangled with the nuns: If any monk speaks in dispraise of the nuns in your presence, you are angered, displeased, and make an issue of it? And if any monk speaks in dispraise of you in the presence of the nuns, they are angered, displeased, and make an issue of it? Is that how much you are spending time entangled with the nuns?”

“Yes, lord.”

“Phagguna, aren’t you a clansman who has gone forth from the home life into homelessness out of conviction?”

“Yes, lord.”

“It’s not fitting for you, Phagguna— a clansman who has gone forth from the home life into homelessness out of conviction—that you spend too much time entangled with the nuns. So, Phagguna, if anyone speaks in dispraise of the nuns in your presence, even then you should abandon any desires related to the household life and any thoughts related to the household life. And even then you should train yourself, ‘My mind will be unaffected and I will say no evil words. I will remain sympathetic to that person’s welfare, with a mind of goodwill, and with no inner hate.’ That’s how you should train yourself.

“And, Phagguna, if anyone gives the nuns a blow with the hand or a stone or a rod or a knife in your presence, right there you should abandon any desires related to the household life and any thoughts related to the household life. And even then you should train yourself, ‘My mind will be unaffected and I will say no evil words. I will remain sympathetic to that person’s welfare, with a mind of goodwill, and with no inner hate.’ That’s how you should train yourself.

“And, Phagguna, if anyone speaks dispraise of you in your presence, even then you should abandon any desires related to the household life and any thoughts related to the household life. And even then you should train yourself, ‘My mind will be unaffected and I will say no evil words. I will remain sympathetic to that person’s welfare, with a mind of goodwill, and with no inner hate.’ That’s how you should train yourself.

“And, Phagguna, if anyone gives you a blow with the hand or a stone or a rod or a knife, right there you should abandon any desires related to the household life and any thoughts related to the household life. And even then you should train yourself, ‘My mind will be unaffected and I will say no evil words. I will remain sympathetic to that person’s welfare, with a mind of goodwill, and with no inner hate.’ That, Phagguna, is how you should train yourself.”

Then the Blessed One addressed the monks, “Monks, how the monks used to satisfy my mind! There was the case, monks, when I addressed the monks, (saying,) ‘Monks, I eat a single meal (a day). Eating a single meal (a day), I perceive next to no illness, next to no affliction, lightness, strength, & a comfortable abiding. So you, too, should eat a single meal (a day). Eating a single meal (a day), you too will perceive next to no illness, next to no affliction, lightness, strength, & a comfortable abiding.’ I had no need for instruction with those monks. I needed only to arouse mindfulness in them.

“Suppose there were a chariot on level ground at four crossroads, harnessed to thoroughbreds, waiting with whips lying ready, so that a dexterous driver, a trainer of tamable horses, might mount and—taking the reins with his left hand and the whip with his right—drive out & back, to whatever place & by whichever road he liked. In the same way, I had no need for instruction with those monks. I needed only to arouse mindfulness in them.

“So, monks, you, too, should abandon unskillful qualities and commit yourselves to skillful qualities, and in that way you, too, will come to growth, increase, & abundance in this Dhamma-Vinaya. Suppose, monks, that—not far from a village or town—there were a large sal-forest choked with castor-oil weeds. And suppose that some man would appear, desiring its benefit, desiring its welfare, desiring its safety from burdens. Having cut down the crooked sal-saplings that robbed the sap, he would throw them out and clean up the interior of the forest; and he would tend well to the straight, well-born sal-saplings, so that at a later time the sal-forest would come to growth, increase, & abundance. In the same way, monks, you, too, should abandon unskillful qualities and commit yourselves to skillful qualities, and in that way you, too, will come to growth, increase, & abundance in this Dhamma-Vinaya.

“Once, monks, in this same Sāvatthī, there was a lady of a household named Vedehikā. This good report about Lady Vedehikā had circulated: ‘Lady Vedehikā is gentle. Lady Vedehikā is mild-tempered. Lady Vedehikā is calm.’ Now, Lady Vedehikā had a slave named Kālī who was diligent, deft, & neat in her work. The thought occurred to Kālī the slave, ‘This good report about my Lady Vedehikā has circulated: “Lady Vedehikā is gentle. Lady Vedehikā is mild-tempered. Lady Vedehikā is calm.” Now, is anger present in my lady without showing, or is it absent? Or is it just because I’m diligent, deft, & neat in my work that the anger present in my lady doesn’t show? Why don’t I test her?’

“So Kālī the slave got up after daybreak. Then Lady Vedehikā said to her: ‘Hey, Kālī!’

“‘What, madam?’

“‘Why did you get up after daybreak?’

“‘No reason, madam.’

“‘No reason, you wicked slave, and yet you get up after daybreak?’ Angered & displeased, she scowled.

Then the thought occurred to Kālī the slave: ‘Anger is present in my lady without showing, and not absent. And it’s just because I’m diligent, deft, & neat in my work that the anger present in my lady doesn’t show. Why don’t I test her some more?’

“So Kālī the slave got up later in the day. Then Lady Vedehikā said to her: ‘Hey, Kālī!’

“‘What, madam?’

“‘Why did you get up later in the day?’

“‘No reason, madam.’

“‘No reason, you wicked slave, and yet you get up later in the day?’ Angered & displeased, she grumbled.

Then the thought occurred to Kālī the slave: ‘Anger is present in my lady without showing, and not absent. And it’s just because I’m diligent, deft, & neat in my work that the anger present in my lady doesn’t show. Why don’t I test her some more?’

“So Kālī the slave got up even later in the day. Then Lady Vedehikā said to her: ‘Hey, Kālī!’

“‘What, madam?’

“‘Why did you get up even later in the day?’

“‘No reason, madam.’

“‘No reason, you wicked slave, and yet you get up even later in the day?’ Angered & displeased, she grabbed hold of a rolling pin and gave her a whack over the head, cutting it open.

Then Kālī the slave, with blood streaming from her cut-open head, went and denounced her mistress to the neighbors: ‘See, ladies, the gentle one’s handiwork? See the mild-tempered one’s handiwork? See the calm one’s handiwork? How could she, angered & displeased with her only slave for getting up after daybreak, grab hold of a rolling pin and give her a whack over the head, cutting it open?’

“In the same way, monks, a monk may be ever so gentle, ever so mild-tempered, ever so calm, as long as he is not touched by disagreeable aspects of speech. But it is only when disagreeable aspects of speech touch him that he can truly be known as gentle, mild-tempered, & calm. I don’t call a monk easy to admonish if he is easy to admonish and makes himself easy to admonish only by reason of robes, almsfood, lodging, & medicinal requisites for curing the sick. Why is that? Because if he doesn’t get robes, almsfood, lodging, & medicinal requisites for curing the sick, then he isn’t easy to admonish and doesn’t make himself easy to admonish. But if a monk is easy to admonish and makes himself easy to admonish purely out of esteem for the Dhamma, respect for the Dhamma, reverence for the Dhamma, then I call him easy to admonish. So, monks, you should train yourselves: ‘We will be easy to admonish and make ourselves easy to admonish purely out of esteem for the Dhamma, respect for the Dhamma, reverence for the Dhamma.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.

“Monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others may address you: timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or harsh, beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of goodwill or with inner hate. Others may address you in a timely way or an untimely way. They may address you with what is true or what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an unbeneficial way. They may address you with a mind of goodwill or with inner hate. In any event, you should train yourselves: ‘Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic to that person’s welfare, with a mind of goodwill, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an awareness imbued with goodwill and, beginning with him, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with goodwill—abundant, enlarged, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.

“Suppose that a man were to come along carrying a hoe & a basket, saying, ‘I will make this great earth be without earth.’ He would dig here & there, scatter soil here & there, spit here & there, urinate here & there, saying, ‘Be without earth. Be without earth.’ Now, what do you think? Would he make this great earth be without earth?”

“No, lord. Why is that? Because this great earth is deep & enormous. It can’t easily be made to be without earth. The man would reap only a share of weariness & disappointment.”

“In the same way, monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others may address you: timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or harsh, beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of goodwill or with inner hate. Others may address you in a timely way or an untimely way. They may address you with what is true or what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an unbeneficial way. They may address you with a mind of goodwill or with inner hate. In any event, you should train yourselves: ‘Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic to that person’s welfare, with a mind of goodwill, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an awareness imbued with goodwill and, beginning with him, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with goodwill equal to the great earth—abundant, enlarged, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.

“Suppose that a man were to come along carrying lac, yellow orpiment, indigo, or crimson, saying, ‘I will draw pictures in space, I will make pictures appear.’ Now, what do you think? Would he draw pictures in space & make pictures appear?”

“No, lord. Why is that? Because space is formless & without surface. It’s not easy to draw pictures there and to make them appear. The man would reap only a share of weariness & disappointment.”

“In the same way, monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others may address you: timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or harsh, beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of goodwill or with inner hate. Others may address you in a timely way or an untimely way. They may address you with what is true or what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an unbeneficial way. They may address you with a mind of goodwill or with inner hate. In any event, you should train yourselves: ‘Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic to that person’s welfare, with a mind of goodwill, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an awareness imbued with goodwill and, beginning with him, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with goodwill equal to space—abundant, enlarged, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.

“Suppose that a man were to come along carrying a burning grass torch and saying, ‘With this burning grass torch I will heat up the river Ganges and make it boil.’ Now, what do you think? Would he, with that burning grass torch, heat up the river Ganges and make it boil?”

“No, lord. Why is that? Because the river Ganges is deep & enormous. It’s not easy to heat it up and make it boil with a burning grass torch. The man would reap only a share of weariness & disappointment.”

“In the same way, monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others may address you: timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or harsh, beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of goodwill or with inner hate. Others may address you in a timely way or an untimely way. They may address you with what is true or what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an unbeneficial way. They may address you with a mind of goodwill or with inner hate. In any event, you should train yourselves: ‘Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic to that person’s welfare, with a mind of goodwill, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an awareness imbued with goodwill and, beginning with him, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with goodwill equal to the river Ganges—abundant, enlarged, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.

“Suppose there were a catskin bag—beaten, well-beaten, beaten through & through, soft, silky, free of rustling & crackling—and a man were to come along carrying a stick or shard and saying, ‘With this stick or shard I will take this catskin bag—beaten, well-beaten, beaten through & through, soft, silky, free of rustling & crackling—and I will make it rustle & crackle.’ Now, what do you think? Would he, with that stick or shard, take that catskin bag—beaten, well-beaten, beaten through & through, soft, silky, free of rustling & crackling—and make it rustle & crackle?”

“No, lord. Why is that? Because the catskin bag is beaten, well-beaten, beaten through & through, soft, silky, free of rustling & crackling. It’s not easy to make it rustle & crackle with a stick or shard. The man would reap only a share of weariness & disappointment.”

“In the same way, monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others may address you: timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or harsh, beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of goodwill or with inner hate. Others may address you in a timely way or an untimely way. They may address you with what is true or what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an unbeneficial way. They may address you with a mind of goodwill or with inner hate. In any event, you should train yourselves: ‘Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic to that person’s welfare, with a mind of goodwill, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an awareness imbued with goodwill and, beginning with him, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with goodwill equal to a catskin bag—abundant, enlarged, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.

“Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up savagely, limb by limb, with a two-handled saw, he among you who let his heart get angered even at that would not be doing my bidding. Even then you should train yourselves: ‘Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic, with a mind of goodwill, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading these people with an awareness imbued with goodwill and, beginning with them, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with goodwill—abundant, enlarged, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.

“Monks, if you attend constantly to this admonition on the simile of the saw, do you see any aspects of speech, slight or gross, that you could not endure?”“No, lord.”

“Then attend constantly to this admonition on the simile of the saw. That will be for your long-term welfare & happiness.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One’s words.

Amazing is the giving at proper time... (implementation and translation in progress), amazing is it, when pointed out of what is turned over, to become upright again. Giving food for release from desire after food.

DN 1 — The Brahmā Net—the first of the entire Sutta Piṭaka—introduces the Buddha as a practitioner and as a teacher. Because its portrait focuses on the Dhamma qualities that he exemplifies, it acts as an introduction to the Dhamma he teaches as well. AN 2:35 — Minds in Tune explains what it means to be fettered interiorly or exteriorly. This translation of MN 10 — The Great Establishing of Mindfulness Discourse is based on the Thai edition of the sutta, which is identical with the previously available DN 22.

When a person lives heedlessly,his craving grows like a creeping vine.He runs now here& now there,as if looking for fruit:a monkey in the forest.If this sticky, uncouth cravingovercomes you in the world,your sorrows grow like wild grassafter rain.If, in the world, you overcomethis uncouth craving, hard to escape,sorrows roll off you,like water beads offa lotus.To all of you gathered hereI say:Good fortune.Dig up craving—as when seeking medicinal roots, wild grass—by the root.Don’t let Māra cut you down—as a raging river, a reed—over & over again.[1]Do what the Buddha says.Don’t let the moment pass by.Those for whom the moment is pastgrieve, consigned to hell.[2]Heedlessness is dust.Dust follows on heedlessness.Through heedfulness, knowledge,pull outyour own arrowon your own.